Nuances in Masks
by Religion0
Summary: It takes looking at all the small nuances to recognize any emotion, but it's even harder when the person is wearing a mask. Perhaps one person can see past the mask? One-shot.


**Well, uhm… I wanted to give writing Bleach a try, as I've never done that before. So, please, be as harsh as you can. While still being honest, of course. Pick on any little mistake you find! (Imagines tiny espada laughing evilly.) Strange…  
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**Tite Kubo owns Bleach, not I.  
**

Nuances.

Reading Ichimaru Gin was all about the little, and sometimes not so little, nuances.

When he wanted to confuse you, for example, his head tilted just a little forward, and the left side of his lips tilted just that tad more than the right.

And when he was being sadistic, his eyes opened just a slid, barely enough to see the white in his eyes if he thought anyone was watching, and enough to leave just the upper part of the eyeball lidded if he knew no one was or was really enjoying himself.

Then there was genuine happiness, it shoved, most visibly, in the little lines around his eyes, but also in the slight inward tilt to his smile or, in case it was emotional happiness (watching Rangiku sleep, watching a mother reunite with her child (yes, Gin was quite a softie), so forth), the distinct shrinking of said smile.

Sadness or regret would always make him wear the infamous "sad smile". The only difference between the two, were something so subtle one could only see it if one was standing really close; whether he looked directly at one or not. When he regretted something, his eyes were locked directly on ones own, while his eyes were turned away from one if he was sad. (How he knew were to look (or how he could even see) is still the greatest mystery in mankind's history).

Dismay was one of his (if not _the_) most profound emotion, as it was the only one that completely wiped the smile of his face. And could actually turn the tips of his lips downwards.

Anger was either closely related to sadism or looked nearly manic, one of the other emotions that opened his eyes, but only halfway even at the worst.

And then… there's lust. His eyes always open fully, to see the full extent of what he's doing to who he is doing. His smile is much smaller, of course, to allow the full use of his tongue and lips.

Only one person knows him well enough to discern all those small nuances, even when they are not in full blow and are a lot harder to recognize beneath the smile he could keep in place: Matsumoto Rangiku (she was also the only one who had ever really seen the last mentioned emotion, although only Gin knew this).

Some people in tenth and third squad joked that a way to tell how one of the two were feeling that day, was to take a close look at the other (it was often much easier to read Rangiku), as they often reacted strongly to each other.

Oh, Rangiku was almost as much of a master at hiding her emotions as Gin, just in a rather different fashion (I.e. she drinks, laughs, and is way too friendly). Oh, the bubbly attitude is very much her, but only a small part. She is, by nature, a very deep person with many burdens of her own.

Unlike Gin, she hates it when she has to wear her mask. Gin likes being a confusing snake whereas Rangiku can't stand having to down bottle after bottle of sake and pulling people into hugs that tends to be rather personal. It's nice once in a while, but it's not fun acting like a fool every hour of the day (she's lazy, not stupid). What both she and Gin thought was endlessly ironic, was that it had taken years of training and downing litres of the stuff before Rangiku had been able to stand a drinking party. She still didn't like the liquor, it had just lost all taste to her; a tasteless liquid that made her act that much easier to perform.

When most people were asked to tell about either of the two's most attractive feature, they would get the answer: "her cleavage, his hair". If one was to ask either of the two the same question, only one word would be necessary: "eyes".

Not that Gin didn't enjoy watching Ran's cleavage, but he loved the sapphire blue of her eyes and she the sunset red of his eyes (although they were closer to blood, she could only identify it as dusk), as Gin far preferred putting a hand to Ran's cheek to any other more obvious choice (although he just generally loved touching her, her cheek was his favourite spot). Rangiku did not have a favoured spot to touch Gin, she knew he preferred just sitting with his hand on her cheek, shoulder, neck, chin, hand, or even her knee… He just needed to touch her, to share a tender moment with no deceit and no masks.

Masks are stifling no matter how well fit.

**…  
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**That was strange thing to write. Probably not quite as bad as my inner critique tells me (she is currently hitting herself with a board in exasperation and telling me to do the same), but probably not nearly as good as many other fan fictions about.  
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**Hope you enjoyed this rather strange writing containing my strange view on these strange characters and their strange love.  
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**…  
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**A lot of strange-s  
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**…  
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**Please review, and do be as harsh as you can. It will be very much appreciated and will make me write more for this much too unloved pairing, which is (just noticed) a match made in heaven… Literally.**


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